A Deep, Honest, and Practical Guide for the First Month of Your New Life
INTRODUCTION: You’re Here and You’re Doing Better Than You Think
When we first arrived in Australia back in 2016, I remember holding my first grocery receipt and thinking, “Did I really just spend that much… on bread and milk?”
Everything was new.
Everything was unfamiliar.
Everything felt expensive.
And the truth is, your first 30 days in Australia can feel financially shocking.
Prices move differently. Bills are structured differently. Rent is handled differently. Groceries cost more than you expect. Transport fees vary by state. Even the way Australians get paid (weekly/fortnightly and sometimes monthly) might be new to you.
I wish someone had sat me down and explained the basics.
Not in a complicated way.
Not in a “financial planner” way.
But in a simple, gentle, “I’ve walked this before you” way.
So that’s what this guide is.
These 10 practical money tips are not theoretical.
They come from lived experience, our mistakes, lessons, and what I learned the hard way, and from talking to countless new immigrants who felt confused, lost, overwhelmed, or embarrassed about money in their first month.
This guide is here to make your first 30 days easier.
Let’s begin, gently, slowly, and with clarity.
1. Track only the 3 expenses that move the most
Think about groceries, transport and rent. Because the fastest way to feel in control during your first month is to stabilise the expenses that move the most and these three give you instant clarity.
In your first month, you don’t need a full budget.
You don’t need categories.
You don’t need apps.
You only need to track the three expenses that move the most and impact your life the fastest:
- Groceries (this is where most new immigrants overspend)
- Transport (fares add up more than you expect)
- Rent (the biggest cost in Australia)
Here’s the truth:
I know this is hard, but if you can stabilise these three, 80% of your budget will naturally stabilise itself. Trust me.
When we first arrived, we overspent almost $60 every single week on groceries because we didn’t know where the cheaper stores were. We also didn’t understand how fare caps worked, so my husband paid more than he needed to for transport.
Tracking just these three items would’ve saved me hundreds.
How to track them:
Open Notes app- Make three lines- Add amounts every time:
- Groceries: $
- Transport: $
- Rent: $
Do this for the first 30 days only.
You’ll be shocked at how quickly clarity comes.
2. Learn the “Australian price baseline” for everyday essentials
Because knowing the real Australian price baseline helps you avoid overspending, spot good deals, and feel less shocked by everyday costs.
In your first few weeks, everything feels expensive because you don’t know what things should cost.
Here’s a realistic Aussie price baseline (These are just samples):
GROCERIES (per item):
- Milk (2L): $3.10
- Bread: $2.50–$4
- Eggs (12 pack): $4–$6
- Rice (5kg): $8–$12 (Asian stores cheaper)
- Chicken breast (1kg): $10–$12
- Tomatoes (1kg): $4–$6
- Apples (1kg): $3–$5
- Broccoli (1 head): $2–$3
TRANSPORT (per trip):
- NSW: $3.20–$5.40
- VIC: $5–$11 daily cap
- QLD: $1.60–$4.80
- SA/WA/TAS: $2–$4.50
PHONE PLANS:
- $25–$30: basic plan (Optus/Boost)
- $50–$65: heavy data
RENT (per week):
- Sydney: $650–$950 (unit)
- Melbourne: $500–$750 (unit)
- Brisbane: $480–$650 (unit)
- Adelaide/Perth: $400–$550 (unit)
Knowing baseline prices helps you quickly spot:
- overpriced areas
- unnecessary spending
- bargain opportunities
- cheaper shopping locations
This ONE tip alone could save a family $150–$250 per month.
3. Don’t buy all your groceries from one store
Each store has its own specialty and price traps and buying everything from one store quietly drains your budget, also learning where to shop saves new immigrants more money than anything else.
This is the single biggest money mistake we made in our first month.
I bought EVERYTHING from one store (Woolworths).
I didn’t know ALDI existed.
I didn’t know Asian stores had cheaper spices.
I didn’t know butchers sold cheaper meat.
Here’s the truth:
- ALDI- sells cheapest for basics
rice, oil, pasta, cheese, bread, milk, biscuits, chips, cleaning supplies
- Woolworths/Coles – buy mid-range for weekly staples
produce, fresh meat, branded items, on-sale items
- Asian stores- cheapest for spices, noodles, sauces
soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, rice noodles, herbs, frozen foods
- Butchers- cheaper for bulk meat
chicken, mince, steak, sausages
Doing this alone can save you $40–$80 per week. We normally buy the staples in Aldi and buy stuff from either Coles or Woolies for half price sales.
4. Understand Australia’s pay cycles
Weekly. Fortnightly. Monthly (rare), whatever it is your pay cycle and your bill cycle won’t match at first and understanding this early helps you avoid cash-flow stress.
Australia has unusual pay cycles compared to many countries.
Here’s the breakdown:
- WEEKLY PAY
Most common for: hospitality, retail, construction, carers, cleaners.
- FORTNIGHTLY PAY
Common for corporate jobs, government, admin roles.
- MONTHLY PAY
Very rare in Australia but it still happens
Why this matters:
Your bills won’t align with your pay at first.
This makes cash flow feel messy.
Here’s what you need to do:
Break everything into weekly buckets.
Even if you’re paid fortnightly.
Example:
Rent = $600 weekly
Pay = $1,200 fortnightly
Divide pay into weekly amounts so you always stay balanced.
This is the secret to feeling in control.
5. Build a quiet week buffer (Not a big emergency fund yet)
This is the FIRST safety net every immigrant needs. You don’t need a big emergency fund right away you just need a small, quiet buffer that calms your mind and protects your first month.
You don’t need a $1,000 emergency fund in your first month.
You need something much smaller:
A Quiet Week Buffer: $50–$100
This helps you cover:
- a sudden bill
- a higher grocery week
- a transport overspend
- a slow work week
- unexpected school needs
This tiny buffer creates massive emotional relief.
Most immigrants skip this step, and feel stressed weekly.
But the buffer changes everything.
6. Don’t sign contracts in your first month
Avoid long-term commitment until you understand true costs. Because long-term contracts trap you before you fully understand your real cost of living, and avoiding them gives you flexibility and safety.
Contracts to avoid:
- mobile plans with 12- or 24-month lock-ins
- gym memberships
- internet contracts
- electricity or gas lock-ins
- Buy now pay later programs (Afterpay/Zip/PayPal)
Let me tell you why?
Because you don’t yet know your:
- income stability
- real cost of living
- long-term location
- housing situation
- transport needs
Stick to prepaid, no-contract options in your first 30 days.
Believe me.
You’ll thank yourself later.
7. Avoid the “New country shopping rush”
This trap costs new immigrants hundreds including us which leads to unnecessary spending, and slowing down helps your money stretch further while you settle in.
You’ll feel tempted to buy everything: furniture, shoes, coats, small appliances, homewares.
But here’s a truth from my own experience:
You don’t need everything right away. You only need stability.
Here are the items you can delay:
- expensive cookware
- brand-new appliances
- full pantry restock
- home décor
- big furniture
- gadgets
- branded clothes
You’re better off buying second hand stuff at this stage.
Start small.
Build slowly.
Your money will stretch MUCH further.
8. Learn the “Australian billing cycle” (It’s not always monthly!)
This is where many immigrants get caught off-guard. Because Australia’s billing cycle is different from many countries, and understanding it early stops you from being shocked by large, irregular bills.
Electricity/Gas: billed every 3 months
Your first bill might be $300–$450.
Water: usually billed quarterly
Expect $150–$250.
Internet: monthly
Expect $60–$90.
Phone: Internet: monthly
prepaid weekly or monthly
Expect $25–$65.
New immigrants get shocked because bills pile up unexpectedly.
Here’s the solution:
Divide quarterly bills into weekly amounts.
Example:
Electricity: $360 per quarter -$30 weekly
Water: $200 per quarter- $16 weekly
Put aside $46 weekly and you’ll never be shocked by a bill again.
9. Start with a “Use what you have” Week
This is the simplest way to save money. Because the first month is when most new immigrants overspend and a simple “use what you have” week protects your money and reduces stress.
Most new immigrants overspend in the first month because they feel the need to “stock up.”
Instead, try this:
Use what you already have:
- leftover pantry items
- discount produce
- frozen meals
- simple recipes
- basic ingredients
A “use what you have” week is freeing.
No pressure. No panic buying.
This can save $50–$100 in your first 30 days plus you are not wasting any food at all.
10. Give yourself grace, you are not behind
Because your first 30 days are about learning, not perfection and giving yourself grace makes the financial transition lighter and calmer.It’s about clarity and learning.
If you overspend, it’s okay.
If your budget feels messy, it’s okay.
If you didn’t track everything, it’s okay.
You’re adjusting to a completely new life.
Your biggest job right now is to:
- stay aware
- stay steady
- learn the basics
- build simple routines
Remember, you are doing better than you think.
FINAL WORD: You’re not supposed to know everything yet
Because you aren’t supposed to know everything yet your first month is a transition, and these steps help you settle with clarity and confidence.
Your first 30 days are not a test.
They’re a transition.
These 10 money tips are here to make that transition:
- lighter
- clearer
- calmer
- more financially stable
And if you want gentle step-by-step guidance from someone who’s walked this before…
👉 Download my free New Immigrant Money Roadmap
It is a simple, warm guide to help you feel confident with money in Australia. Inside are:
Simple steps.
Real examples.
Lived experience.
Your next chapter starts here.
